1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to transmission of messages, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for transmitting messages as packets over a network.
2. Description of Related Art
During the last decade, the amount of information that is transmitted in various networks has multiplied a great number of times. With the increased reliance on electronically transmitted messages comes a greater vulnerability to intrusion or interception by adversaries or other unauthorized persons. Today information is communicated over a multitude of different networks, many of which are connected to each other. The most well known and most frequently used network is, of course, the Internet.
There are many different kinds of message transmissions which the sending and receiving parties have an interest in securing from unauthorized access. Companies have a need to transmit secret information over their internal networks, and sometimes there is a need to provide enhanced security of the individual message although the network itself is not readily available to unauthorized persons. The globally increasing use of the Internet has partly been of a commercial nature which, of course, creates a variety of new security concerns. Individual consumers which shop over the Internet have a legitimate interest in being able to transmit, for example, a credit card number in reliance on satisfactory security measures being taken in the transmission. As is well known, unauthorized knowledge of a credit card number can easily be used for unauthorized purchases. Other kinds of transmitted information is also sensible and must be protected appropriately. Customer information or other confidential information to which an unauthorized person gains access can result in severe detrimental effects for the parties involved. Aside from economic damages resulting from unauthorized access to information transmitted in messages over a network, the sender and recipient, of course, have a legitimate interest in that the contents of their messages remain confidential if they so prefer, regardless of whether the communication pertains to commercial enterprises or private matters.
A frequently used method for increasing security of transmitted messages is encryption. Many different kinds of encryption exist, and the main idea of the method is to alter an original message in a way that only the sender and recipient can reverse to gain access to the original message. Federal export regulations control the export of encryption methods and devices which are capable of encrypting above a certain strength level. In order to export strong encryption software and devices, export licenses have to be obtained.
However, relying solely on encryption as a means for protecting information during message transmission may not always be sufficient. An adversary who intends to intercept or otherwise interfere with the transmission of secure messages will typically be familiar with even the most sophisticated encryption methods that are publicly known. If an unauthorized person gains access to an encrypted message, there is always a risk that the person will attempt to identify the encryption key, for example, by using a computer to try a great number of different encryption keys on the encrypted message. Typically, the larger the encrypted message, the greater is the chance that an adversary may identify the encryption key. Another aspect is that the encryption in itself tends to draw unwanted attention from adversaries who may be interested in gaining access to secret information.
It can be seen that there is a need for methods and apparatus which allow messages to be transmitted in ways such that potential adversaries are given access to a relatively small amount of information. There is a need for methods and apparatus for transmitting a message as packets over a network, where one or more security steps may be taken to make the message less susceptible to unauthorized access.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses methods and apparatus for transmitting a message as packets over a network.
The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing a method of transmitting a message as packets including at least one from the group consisting of: forming packets with random sizes, transmitting the packets in random order, transmitting the packets through different routes in the network, and transmitting dummy data within the packets.
An article of manufacture in accordance with the principles of the invention includes a computer-readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of invention.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and described specific examples of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.